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Black churches routinely discuss both scripture and issues like gay marriage and voter suppression,and gun violence. Today’s tragic shooting in Connecticut is a fresh reminder of the ever present violence assaulting so many black communities. What role has the black church played in dealing with the violence? We'll look at that and examine the church's influence in shaping opinion about current issues of the day.

Has the church become too political, or not political enough? Has this institution re-invented itself in order to adequately meet the challenges of changing communities around it?

As 2013 begins the national debate on gun control is in high gear. Advocates from all sides have descended on Washington, DC to sway a divided Congress to their side. But the action isn't limited to the halls of government; the persistent issue of gun control is also being debated in local communities across the country. And for communities historically battered by gun violence, the conversation takes on an increased intensity.

This week, with the State of the Union, President Barack Obama delivered his first major address after his second inaugural speech. Most polls showed a favorable reception to the speech, which emphasized domestic issues including raising the minimum wage, voting reform, and a bigger push on passing immigration legislation. But with a divided Congress and a country of competing constituencies, how much can be accompanied in a lame duck Obama presidency?

(Photo: President Obama delivers the State of the Union Address, February 12, 2013. Official White House photo, Chuck Kennedy.)

Black churches routinely discuss both scripture and issues like gay marriage and voter suppression,and gun violence. Today’s tragic shooting in Connecticut is a fresh reminder of the ever present violence assaulting so many black communities. What role has the black church played in dealing with the violence? We'll look at that and examine the church's influence in shaping opinion about current issues of the day.

Has the church become too political, or not political enough? Has this institution re-invented itself in order to adequately meet the challenges of changing communities around it?

This week on Basic Black, we take a look at two major issues as we head into the summer. On the local front, the number of shootings in Boston has surpassed last year's tally. We'll talk about causes and strategies to combat the violence. In national headlines, the Supreme Court this week struck key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a critical victory of the civil rights movement. We'll discuss the impact on upcoming elections and shaping voter turnout.

Conversations about gun violence usually center around criminal justice strategies and gun control, but often lost in the debate is the connection to public health. Last week, Pro Publica, the non-profit investigative journalism news organization published a piece by Lois Beckett, entitled, The PTSD Crisis That's Being Ignored: Americans Wounded in Their Own Neighborhoods. As the spike in shootings makes headlines in Boston, our Basic Black conversation focuses on the public health impact to communities in the wake of gun violence.

Less than a year after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of 17 year old Trayvon Martin, a mistrial was declared in the shooting death of another 17-year-old African American boy, Jordan Davis. In both cases, much of the public conversation has been about racism and the validity of "stand your ground" laws, but this week on Basic Black, we take a look at implicit bias, the hidden prejudices and biases we all have, but when acted upon in the extreme, can have deadly consequences.

Less than a year after George Zimmerman was acquitted in the shooting death of 17 year old Trayvon Martin, a mistrial was declared in the shooting death of another 17-year-old African American boy, Jordan Davis. In both cases, much of the public conversation has been about racism and the validity of "stand your ground" laws, but this week on Basic Black, we take a look at implicit bias, the hidden prejudices and biases we all have, but when acted upon in the extreme, can have deadly consequences.

Conversations about gun violence usually center around criminal justice strategies and gun control, but often lost in the debate is the connection to public health. Last week, Pro Publica, the non-profit investigative journalism news organization published a piece by Lois Beckett, entitled, The PTSD Crisis That's Being Ignored: Americans Wounded in Their Own Neighborhoods. As the spike in shootings makes headlines in Boston, our Basic Black conversation focuses on the public health impact to communities in the wake of gun violence.

This week on Basic Black, we take a look at two major issues as we head into the summer. On the local front, the number of shootings in Boston has surpassed last year's tally. We'll talk about causes and strategies to combat the violence. In national headlines, the Supreme Court this week struck key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a critical victory of the civil rights movement. We'll discuss the impact on upcoming elections and shaping voter turnout.